Most of us worry about our distractibility. We zone out, daydream and procrastinate, and then chastise ourselves for wasting time. But what if most of that "wasted time" was actually time well spent? As neuroscientist Dr. Srini Pillay explains, there is a neurological imperative for why we all do these things. Drawing on the latest brain research, compelling stories from his psychological practice, and colourful examples of counterintuitive success from sports, business, education and the arts, he reveals that there is a vital default mode network in the brain that only activates when we are unfocused, "doing nothing" or letting our minds rest. And that healthy default mode network is necessary for the brain to rejuvenate and function at its best. If focus is the valuable close and narrow beam that illuminates the path directly ahead, unfocus is the equally valuable beam that reaches far and wide, enabling our peripheral vision. It is the intelligent form of letting go. Challenging traditional ideas about productivity, Dr Pillay reveals how being too focused can be detrimental, and how you can harness and exploit the power of unfocus in many different areas of your life: to enhance creativity, improve your capacity for learning and even help you overcome a general malaise or an emotional or career rut.

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About the Author

Srini Pillay, M.D., is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and author of Life Unlocked: 7 Revolutionary Lessons to Overcome Fear, which won a 'Books for a Better Life' Award. Also a Harvard brain researcher for the last 17 years, Dr. Pillay has developed unique, effective programmes for personal development and goal mastery, translating the complex findings of brain science for the everyday person. Born in Durban, South Africa, he lives in Massachusetts, USA.